


Punky Funky Love

by godsreverie



Category: Ao no Exorcist | Blue Exorcist
Genre: Aged Up, Alternate Universe - Idols, Band Fic, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, M/M, Okumura Rin Needs a Hug, Shiemi for cutest idol, Slow Burn, The bonshima is more background but it's there, easter eggs for other idol franchises, rin for biggest dork in love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-21
Updated: 2020-04-26
Packaged: 2021-02-28 00:14:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,802
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22834630
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/godsreverie/pseuds/godsreverie
Summary: Rin Okumura is the 22 year old lead singer of popular rock band, Exorcist. Shiemi Moriyama is the 22 year idol finally starting to make her big break. The two cross paths when she's signed on to True Cross Entertainment and their love begins to blossom.
Relationships: Moriyama Shiemi/Okumura Rin, Shima Renzou/Suguro "Bon" Ryuuji
Comments: 8
Kudos: 22





	1. Step Zero to One

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

_The rhythmic melody of the heart monitor plays out its cursed tune. It sounds of plucking a guitar string horribly out of tune. The noise grates on his ears as he curls his knees into his chest. He hates it. He wants to rush out of this room and find the nearest empty space to scream until his throat goes raw and his tears ran dry._

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

_Rin glances over at the figure in the hospital bed and feels his stomach turning, swallowing down hard the urge to vomit. His adopted father lays quiet, his face completely sunken in and his skin pale as a sheet as various tubes hooked to IV’s protrudes from his arms. In the two months he’s been confided to this hellish place, he looks like a different man._

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

_He’s angry. He’s angry at the god Shiro worked his whole life for, spread the word of their great deeds with his sermons, is now trying to take him away from him and his brother. He’s angry at the doctors that keep telling him that’s nothing now they can do now. The cancer’s spread too far. He’s angry at himself for yelling at him for hiding this from him and Yukio for so long._

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

_He’ll apologize when he wakes up. He hadn’t meant what he had said. A part of him understands why. He doesn’t want to worry his only two children who have already lost their mother at birth. They had bright futures ahead of them. Well, Yukio did at least. But, they want to support him and do anything to see this through._

_Beep. Beep. Beeeeeeeeeeeep._

_The painful ping of the heart monitor turns Rin’s head up, eyes widening at the once constant spikes of his heart beat now a single flat line on the screen. He finds himself shaking Shiro and screaming for him, trying to jostle him awake or get any reaction out of him. No, this can’t be it! Make it stop!_

His body jolts up as he violently wakes from his nightmare. His skin is drenched in sweat and his face is awash with fresh tears, panting heaving as he wipes his cheeks with the back of his hands. Seven years and memories of that day still haunt him. A ghost clinging to his side that leaks into all aspects of his life.

There’s a gentle kneading against his thigh and a worried meow ringing out in his bedroom, causing Rin to quickly pull himself together and scoop up the black Bombay into his arms. He nuzzled his face into the top of his head before kissing his nose, Kuro meowing up at him. “I’m okay, I promise. I didn’t mean to scare you. It was just another nightmare,” he replied back tiredly.

The response was several licks to his cheeks and soft purring as he gave him a small squeeze. He had the cutest and sweetest cat in the world. He’s not sure where he would be these past six years without him. He’s been the best support anyone could ever ask for.

Rin let him continue showering him in affection as he checked the time on his phone, his background photo of Kuro trying to perch himself on Yukio’s head managing to bring a smile to his face. Of course it was only six in the morning, an hour before his alarm was supposed to go off. There was no point in going back to sleep now.

Rin was supposed to meet his brothers and his best friends, Bon and Shima, for breakfast before they all headed out for the photoshoot for their new single next month. What had started as a way for Shima to stick it to his older brother by forming a one time band to compete with his turned into them catapulting into fame under the name Exorcist almost overnight. They were now selling out stadiums and saw their faces plastered on television and magazines.

It was still a bit unbelievable that Rin was the front man of it all. He never expected the one song he wrote in one night be so well received and launch a career for the then high school boys. Exorcist was the best thing that had happened to him. Making music with his closest friends saved him from the dark place his mind had been in since his father’s passing.

This was not the time to get mushy though. He carried Kuro to the kitchen of his apartment, plopping him down in his cat tree as he filled his bowls with fresh water and a can of the best wet food for comforting him this morning. Kuro was his world, as his fans knew. He was the only thing on his Instagram besides food he made himself or going out with the band.

It wasn’t long before Kuro padded his way over to his dishes as Rin himself headed back into his room, grabbing a simple black shirt and matching jeans. There was no need to get that dressed up. He would be changing into whatever the stylists saw fit for him.  
Rin set his clothes on the counter of his bathroom counter and glanced at himself in the mirror, shuttering a little at his reflection. His hair, dyed to an ombre of pure white fading down to an extremely light blue, was soaked and sticking to his forehead from all the sweating earlier. His eyed were lined underneath with dark circles that seemed permanently too dark since he was a teenager. The makeup team will have fun with those later.

The sweat was making his skin sticky and gave his two full sleeves of tattoos a slight sheen. The right arm was the most recent, wrist to shoulder covered in watercolor bright blue flames. His other arm was quite the contrast. His left arm was still decorated from wrist and shoulder and still in the watercolor style but this was all done in black and red and more varied in images. From a skull that cloaked over his shoulder that bled into a cluster of spider lilies the rest of his arm.

He loved his tattoos. They veiled over the scars of his past when all he wanted to do was fade out of the existence. The long hours in the artist’s chair and the stinging of the needle against his skin gave him the same relief as in his younger years that only a razor blade could provide. He definitely wanted to start pieces on his back soon.

Right now, he was in desperate need of a shower. He felt gross after his nightmare, tossing his sweatpants and boxers into his laundry basket before turning on his shower to the highest temperature without it burning the skin.

It was the right decision as he stood under the water. He must have thrashed in his sleep because he felt the water melting into muscles he didn’t even know were sore. He should really schedule an appointment with that spa Yukio kept mentioning to him.

He let the water pulsate against his skin until the muscles in his shoulders loosen, quickly scrubbing off his body and washing his hair before rinsing off everything and shutting the water off. He didn’t want to linger in the shower much longer than that.

He hopped out of the shower and found his stack of fresh towels, rubbing the soft fabric against his skin and hair until his body completely dried. Sometimes, he could understand why Kuro stole these to lay on instead of the lush cat bed Rin bought for him. He was too cute for him to truly get mad at him for it.

He dumped his night clothes into the basket and started to pull on his clothes when he heard a small thump behind him, checking the basket with a sigh. He was not longer surprised whenever he found his cat staring up at him innocently as he settled himself on top of his dirty clothes. A tiny meow was his response to his owner and Rin simply scooped him up and set him on the bathroom counter.  
He poked Kuro’s nose playfully as he coated his toothbrush with his mint toothpaste. He had to take extra care of his teeth since two years ago, he had his canines filed down to sharp points. It was simply cosmetic and Rin thought the fangs looked totally badass. It was one of the more wild things he’s even done but there were no regrets.

Kuro jumped off the counter and followed close behind as Rin made his way back to where his phone was charging on his nightstand. There was an immediate pout noticing one missed text message from Mephisto, the CEO of True Cross Entertainment. As much as a clown he was, he couldn’t ignore a text from the boss. So, he had no choice but to read it.

-Good morning. I’ve already texted your fellow bandmates this but please come by the office after your photoshoot. There’s some new talent I’ve acquired I would like you to meet. I look forward to seeing you this afternoon.-

Rin just rolled his eyes a little and replied with ‘okay,’ before shoving his phone into his back pocket. Little did he know that this meeting would change his life forever.


	2. When the Moon Met the Sun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Their meeting was by chance, like flower petals blowing in the wind under a sunlit sky.

Rin decided for the time being to put the meeting with the new member of the company in the back of his mind. It didn’t mean he wasn’t curious about the new recruit as he laced up his signature red Doc Marten boots. Mephisto was a Miku Hatsune obsessed clown but he was also quite selective about the talent he signed on. He only wanted the best of the best.

The photoshoot was the main focus at the moment and that meant them getting together for breakfast beforehand. When the band first formed, it was really Rin that had the common thread from his friendship with Shima and Bon and the fact he managed to drag Yukio into performing with them. Seven years later, they were all close friends.

The first plan of action was to pick up his brother. Until the beginning of the year, he and Rin had always lived together. They shared their bedroom growing up in their father’s monastery which turned into a dorm room in high school after his passing. The two had signed their first apartment lease after graduation. It was bittersweet when Yukio decided he wanted true independence and had bought a new townhouse.

Rin never felt separated though. The twins spoke every day and they saw each other often, whether it was for band activities or the older Okumura making dinner for the two of them. He also worried about him as all brothers should. He got calls all of time about how to do his laundry or why his many attempts at cooking ended up with food on fire. The feeling of being relied on warmed his heart despite the panic and face palming. 

He kissed Kuro’s nose and gave him a few pets before heading out of his apartment, locking the door behind him and shoving his hands into the pockets of his leather jacket. He lived on the first floor so it was a quick dash down to the parking garage where his car waited for him. 

His car was nothing fancy, a red Subaru Vivio passed down from Shiro after he had died. He could easily afford a newer vehicle but this car had sentimental value. Memories of his father driving him around the block whenever Rin was depressed or after he had gotten into another fight at school. He wouldn’t stop driving this thing until it couldn’t be repaired no more.

He got himself settled into the driver’s seat and buckled in before pulling out of the parking garage and into the streets of Shinjuku. He had called these bustling streets home since he had moved out on his at age eighteen. It seemed a bit tame right now, with crowds of business suits melding together in the early morning rush to the office. At night, it came alive with the neon lights and lines of college kids ready to bar hop. He loved it here. It was everything he could want.

It was the suburbs on the outskirts of Shinjuku that was Rin’s destination. The route was becoming more familiar in the six months since Yukio had moved into his quaint two bedroom townhouse. He was here at least twice a week from casual visits to working on songs together. Some weeks, he spend more time here than his own apartment. He wouldn’t trade the time with his little brother for the world.

He parked his car in front of the garage door and barely made it out of his vehicle when he noticed Yukio already waiting for him at his front door. At a first glance, no one would take the glasses clad, almost stuffy looking male as the lead guitarist of a successful rock band but he could shred like no other. Rin was decent with a guitar but Yukio was a real pro. 

“You’re early,” he simply stated, sounding a bit annoyed as he crossed his arms.

Well shit. “I was up and figured I would head over.”

“And your eye bags are darker than usual. You’re not sleeping again.” That was the catch with Yukio. He knew him better than anyone else. He was also planning to become a doctor before the band hit it big. The combination of the two meant he picked up on the smallest things wrong with Rin.

He sighed as he leaned back against his car. “I did manage to sleep a little. Nightmares woke me up.” The topic wasn’t anything new. Shiro’s death had haunted Rin in so many more ways than it had Yukio. 

Yukio unfurled his arms at the response and made his way to his older brother, pulling him into a loose embrace. He had never been big on affection but he spared it when he needed to be a pillar of support for Rin. In return, he wrapped his arms around him and stayed there in a few moments.

“I’m here if you want to talk about it. You should also tell your therapist about this. You might need a dosage adjustment for your anti-depressants.”

“I’ll mention it to her when I see her next week.” He held him for another moment before pulling away, flashing him a small smile and getting one in return. “I’m alright. We’re getting really sappy so early in the morning. You ready to head out?”

“We’ll be an hour early if we leave now though. Come inside, I’ll make us some tea.”

Rin nodded in response and led himself inside, spending a minute unlacing his boots and setting them on the shoe rack neatly. The house itself was beautiful, the furniture and color scheme was a pristine white and on first inspection, everything was nice and tidy. Rin definitely noticed the pile of dirty clothes building up in the basket near his laundry room though.

He could hear Yukio setting up the kettle in the kitchen and snuck up to his side, flicking his forehead. A tiny noise of protest escaped him and Rin couldn’t help but to snicker. “Wash your clothes when you get back.”

“I’ll get around to it. Do you always have to nag when you come over?”

“It doesn’t get done if I don’t.”

Yukio glared at him and pushed up his glasses, lips forming into a pout. “Yes, I heard you. Please sit down and drink your tea.”

Another snicker echoed through the kitchen as he took his seat at the table, glancing at the text message from Mephisto again. It made sense why he would want to introduce them to the new talent. Exorcist was the biggest and most experienced act signed under True Cross Entertainment. They could provide a lot of a knowledge to newbies.

“He texted you too, didn’t he? What do you think the new act is like?” Yukio inquired as he sat down two cups of tea. Rin relaxed taking in the scent of matcha and blew on it a couple of times before taking his first sip.

“Not sure. You never know with the clown. They should be good to get his attention though. I’m a little excited.”

…

Rin was now having his undereyes beaten with those weird little egg sponges while his bangs were being styled back away from his face. He would never get used to the photoshoots they did for their album covers or magazines. He saw it as too much fuss but it was a necessary part of being in the public eye.

Breakfast had gone smoothly with mostly the four of them discussing the new act signed on and their activities for the next few days. The boys would be busy promoting their new single on variety shows, including the one Rin himself hosted. He loved ‘Cooking with Rinrin’ since Mephisto had suggested the idea a year ago. He would have been a chef if the band never panned out.

In the chair next to him, Shima was trying his best to flirt with his hair stylist and Rin wanted to throw something at him. He was just doing this shit to make Bon jealous. Their relationship was currently off and the only blaring issue with the band. Their cycle just gave Rin a headache and he did not need that right now.

Was this what all relationships were like? He had never dated anyone before. It wasn’t against their agency’s policy either. He just never had the time and no one needed to see how fucked up he actually was. He was only bound to hurt whoever got close.

“Rin-san, we’re finished. Feel free to walk around for a few minutes before we start the photos.”

He never leaped out of his chair fast enough as he felt Bon’s stare like lasers over at Shima and he did not want to be in the middle. He waved to everyone before stepping outside to the balcony of the studio, taking in all the sights. The sky was dyed in vibrant shades of orange and purple, blanketing Tokyo with a luminous glow. He had to snap a picture of this for his Instagram.

“It’s so pretty…” he heard a voice exclaim nearby, causing him to turn his head. If he thought the sky was beautiful then she was radiant. Her blonde hair was curled loosely to her chin, the pink of her rose headpiece matching the flush of her cheeks. The outfit matched the headpiece, the skirt billowing out like flower petals. But it was her eyes that captivated him, glittering emerald green and full of life.

It was almost like those scenes in anime with the sparkles and rose petals swaying in the wind and he probably looked so stupid staring at her. He had to pull himself together. He lightly patted his cheek a couple of times and gave her a smile. “It is. You don’t see this a lot in the city.”

She yelped in surprised, her face turning a brighter shade of pink. He was sure he was blushing in response too. She really was adorable, whoever she was. Again, he had to hold himself together.

After a couple of moments, she took a deep breath to seemingly gather all of her courage to respond. “It’s my first time in the city. I come from a really small farming village so I never thought I would see something like this. It’s really magical.”

“You should see this view at night with all the lights of Tokyo. It’s like millions of stars shining together. The first time you witness it, it takes your breath away.” He had seen that view hundreds of time and it never got old for him.

“It sounds wonderful. I hope I get to see it soon. My agency gave me a cellphone but I don’t know how it works. I was told it could take pictures…” she sounded upset as she held an iPhone in her hands, decorated with a sakura blossom case and decals. A cute phone for a cute girl.

“Here, I can show you how to take a picture. We have to be quick though.”

“You will? Thank you so much! I really mean that.” She handed him her phone once she unlocked it, grinning from ear to ear. God, she was so cute. He couldn’t let himself get distracted. He carefully displayed to her the camera app and held it up, focusing the image of the skyline and snapping a picture for her before handing it back to her.

“Nii-san, they’re ready for us!” Yukio called, standing by the balcony entrance with guitar in hand. Right, he had a job to do.

“Coming!” he grinned over at the girl again and bowed his head slightly. “I’m glad I was able to help you save the moment. And definitely check out the view tonight!” 

Rin rushed over to his brother, probably wearing the goofiest grin on his face as he strutted back on set.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Her outfit was inspired by this Ruby from Love Live outfit: https://decaf.kouhi.me/lovelive/index.php?title=File:Ruby_smile_ur1931_t.jpg
> 
> Thank you guys for the support and you can follow me on Twitter at @rinokumuraP


	3. Shaking your heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I rather you speak to me like that. I’m not good with formalities. They’re too stuffy for me. So, please call me Rin. It’s nice to meet you, Shiemi.”

The photoshoot had been a resounding success. The four young men crowded behind the monitor where the photographer had the picture he chose for their single cover, all of them nodding in agreement at the selection. The industrial feel of the studio and the band’s grudge look blended nicely together along with their poses, Rin in the forefront leaning against the wall with his guitar beside of Yukio while Bon and Shima were against the opposite wall. Rin couldn’t be more excited for their new single to drop in a couple of weeks for their fans to see it too.

The brothers’ and their bassist packed up their instruments before joining Bon to thank the crew for all their hard work, the group bowing politely and all smiles. The crew that Mephisto hired for them always went above and beyond to assist them in their career. They would be nothing without them.

It was as they were leaving the studio that Rin let his mind wander to the girl he had spoken to earlier on the balcony. He couldn’t get her endearing smile out of his mind during the photoshoot. He knew they had to drive to the company headquarters to meet the new act but he could at least try to find her to say goodbye or maybe get her name.

No, what was he doing!? He was getting distracted by whatever nonsense spinning through his mind. He knew she must be a fledgling idol from the attire earlier, most likely from another agency. It might cause her trouble if someone noticed them and started the rumor mill of them having a relationship. The industry was stupid for freaking out over things like that. Not to mention, he would probably never even see this girl again. He was going to chalk it up to the heat of the moment and move on.

He hoped she took his suggestion though about see Tokyo at night. It truly was a marvel to behold. Rin himself spend many nights on the roof of the production company or the balcony of his apartment, gazing at how the brightly colored city lights paired with the stars like an abstract painting moving in real time.

Sometimes, he also glanced down at the scenery below and wished he could plummet down and disappear within them. He tried to not have those thoughts anymore but they nibbled at the back of his mind, egging him on to take the final leap. He had to move forward, no matter how much he struggled.

Rin hadn’t noticed how lost in his own head he was until he felt a hand on his shoulder, bristling up like a scared cat and yelping before turning his body around and seeing his brother beside of him looking a bit taken aback. He was probably startled by Rin’s reaction. “Dude, don’t sneak up on me like that!”

“I was just making sure you were alright. You’ve been staring down the hallway spaced out for the last five minutes.”

He sighed and massaged his temples for a moment to compose himself. Why was he getting so riled up for? “I’m good, I promise. Just ready for this day to be over.” he replied, starting to hear the exhaustion in his voice. Maybe it was the lack of sleep that was getting him hung up about this girl. 

Yukio wasn’t buying it however, worry etched in with furrow of his brows and the slightest downturn of his lips. His younger brother was too observant, too wary of any shift of his emotional state. Rin had been good at hiding it under his signature smile when they were younger but he had grown wise to it. 

“Nii-san. You’re lying.” His tone was serious as he crossed his arms. He meant business and wasn’t going to let up until Rin spilled all of his thoughts out. He had to concede defeat to him.

“It’s really stupid and you’ll probably end up laughing. But, let’s talk about it in the car. We still have to see Mephisto and our new coworker.”

*

He fucking hated driving into Akibahara. Traffic was always a nightmare and the streets were crowded with locals and tourists alike. Sidewalks were lined with girls dressed in various maid outfits and other costumes, waving bystanders to come inside the themed cafes. While he actually liked the area, he despised it when he was just wanting to get to the company headquarters so he could then go home and sink into bed.

While he was jammed in traffic, Rin glanced up at one of the many videos screen attached to the buildings and a small smile grew across his face. This screen in particular was playing the new Aqours music video, Mitaiken HORIZON, as they danced in synched to the bubbly tune in adorable yellow and white costumes adorned with butterfly wings. His attention drifted to the girl just right of Hanamaru, swelling up with pride watching Yohane gleefully performing.

Yoshiko ‘Yohane’ Tsushima was his protégé and someone he doted on like a younger sister. They had met three years ago when Aqours was just branching out into stardom and she saved up for a meet and greet pass to one of their lives. Rin could never forget how excited she was to meet her idol, who she declared as the fearsome demon king of the underworld. Her friends were horrified but Rin took it in stride. After discovering she was an idol, he took her under his wing and taught her everything he knew and going to all of her shows when he could. He even helped write a song with Yohane in mind as the center. She had cried the entire day in joy when he handed her the lyrics and claimed she wasn’t worthy of such a gift.

He would have to text her when he got home and mention that he saw her new video today. She would be thrilled. Maybe they could schedule a lunch meeting too. He’s been so busy lately so it was hard to catch up with friends.

Yukio leaned over in his seat and grinned as the video played on. “Yoshiko-chan looks like she’s really enjoying herself. This song is already at the top of the charts too. You look so proud of her.”

Rin dramatically sniffled and dabbed at his eyes. “My fallen angel is growing up before my eyes. How could I not be?”

The response got them both chuckling and it was something he needed after the weird headspace he had been in. Yukio hadn’t forgotten about his earlier promise as he leaned back into his seat. “You seem to be feeling better now.”

“Yeah, I just think not sleeping is messing with my head. I just…” There was a long pause as he tried to gather his thoughts. “I met a girl while we were waiting for the shoot to start. She was really cute and we got to talking. I ended up helping her take a picture of the sunset.” Rin groaned and headbutted his steering wheel. “I wanted to say bye to her too… It’s so stupid!”

He started to hear Yukio snicker and his face turned a dark shade of red on response. “I told you you would laugh!”

“I’m sorry, Nii-san,” he managed in between chuckles. “I thought it was something more serious than you thinking a girl is cute. I remember noticing her now. She seemed like your type. You always had a thing for blondes. Like the time you declared you would fight Mario to marry Princess Peach yourself.”

Rin shrieked in response and he wanted nothing more than to jump out of the car in embarrassment. He hated how calm Yukio could deliver his teasing of his elder brother. “Princess Peach is beautiful and that’s not the point, you asshole!”

“I know, I know.” After he had stopped his laughter, Yukio cleared his throat and pushed up his glasses. “Is that really so bad though? I don’t think it’s a bad idea for you to be interested in someone. You have a lot to give in a relationship.”

“And what? Let someone see how fucked up I actually am? No one needs to be with that.” Traffic finally starts to move and Rin drives to the production office, locating his private parking spot behind the building. He noticed Bon’s car in the next spot over.

Yukio makes his reply as Rin turns off the vehicle and steps out together. “You always see what’s terrible about yourself and that makes you keep up around this fortress around your heart. You’re afraid of people seeing your scars. I want you to be happy, Rin. We all do.”

It’s rare to hear Yukio speak his name and it hammers in how serious he’s being. Rin can feel happiness but it’s fleeting he asks himself if he’s allowed to feel this way. It’s something he and his therapist have gone many sessions deep into over the years. “Maybe one day. But I don’t think I’ll see her again. We should get this meeting over with.”

His brother simply nodded, Rin getting the feeling the conversation was not quite over yet. He would probably ask Rin make him dinner and pry further in the privacy of his home. It was always the way it happened whenever something was bugging one of them.

They walking into the office lobby, the twins waving at the receptionist as they gleamed at their bandmates just ahead. You could cut the tension with a knife between Bon and Shima and the brothers just sighed through their noses, both annoyed at the sight of the on and off again boyfriends. Hopefully they settled this by tomorrow for practice or Rin was shoving both their asses in a closet and forcing them to make up.

It seems they overheard their footsteps and turned around, both still rigid with whatever anger they had for the other. “Took you long enough,” Bon replied. Yup, he was definitely mad. Must have been a bad fight this time.

“Traffic sucked on the way here, sorry. Let’s go.”

Rin wasn’t looking forward to being in a cramped elevator with quarreling lovers but he wanted this meeting over with. The group squeezed in together and Rin pressed the button for the top floor, watching the doors close before their ascent.

“You know, the receptionist said the new idol is super cute. I can’t wait to meet her. Maybe I’ll give her my number,” Shima teased and Rin shrunk back a bit at the sight of the veins popping out of Bon’s head. He was obviously trying to get under his skin as he always did when they fought because of course Shima did. Again, this is where Rin hoped they fucked it out as per the norm so he didn’t feel like screaming being in shared spaces with them.

“I’m sure she wouldn’t accept it anyways,” Yukio stated curtly, causing Shima to scoff and Rin trying not to burst out laughing as the elevator opened up. It probably stung even more when he saw the slight smirk on Bon’s face too. Making fun of him was too easy sometimes.

Rin made his way to Mephisto’s office, knocking a couple of times to announce their presense.

“Come on in.”

Has Rin even mentioned he hated Mephisto’s office? Okay, he hates his office. While everywhere else looked like a professional production company, his excuse of an office was decorated head to toe with various anime merchandise, including the back wall dedicated to Miku Hatsune. What kind of grown ass man has a shrine of a voice program with the face of a cute girl? Actually, he didn’t want that answered.

The only thing that made this an office and not some sort of NEET den was the opulent white desk in the center of the room. This too was covered with anime figurines. This was where Mephisto was currently seated behind in one of his ridiculous white suits, sipping on tea. God, he felt bad for this new girl. Mephisto was distant family of Rin and Yukio. They had years to deal with his bullshit. She was going to be terrified.

“Good, you finally made it. The photographer sent me your new single cover. You boys look as handsome as ever. I’m glad you could make it. My new prospect is so lovely. I don’t want Renzo scaring her off like he almost did Izumo.”

The Izumo Incident had been a bad time two years ago and Shima’s flirting almost got them in hot water with the media. The only good thing about it was that it forced Bon to confess his feelings for that idiot. Not sure how well that is working out for him.

“We’ll make sure he stays in line.” Yukio gave Shima a glare, the bassist gulping in response. Yukio could be pretty scary when angry. Rin had been on the other side of that anger plenty of times over the years as brothers do. It led to punches thrown in their teenager years but it was a rare occurrence these days.

“Fantastic.” He pressed the intercom on his desk as he continued to sip on his tea. “Please bring in Shiemi. Exorcist is here to meet her.”

A couple of awkward minutes of feeling like the figurines were staring them down, the door opened again and Rin’s eyes widen in shock as the girl he had shared a moment with her earlier stepped into the office. She had traded her flowery idol ensemble for a traditional pink kimono tied together with a dark blue obi, the haori drifting from a paler pink than the kimono to white and a cherry blossom pattern printed on the sleeves.

If he thought she was cute before, she was absolutely adorable now. He felt his face burning bright, causing everyone else to give him curious glances at his reaction. He didn’t even have to turn around to know that clown must be grinning ear to ear. “Gentlemen, this is Shiemi Moriyama. She’s the new idol I’ve signed on. Shiemi, these are members of Exorcist I mentioned to you earlier. The pink haired one is Renzo Shima. Our muscled one on the right is Ryuji Suguro. The glasses one is Yukio Okumura. And finally, Exorcist’s leader, Rin Okumura.”

It was right then she must have realized exactly who she was chatting to earlier, her cheeks producing a blush that extended down to her neck as she bowed so deeply Rin was afraid she was going to hit her head on the floor. “I’m so sorry, Okumura-san!”

A hum of curiosity escaped Mephisto’s lips and Rin wants to dart out of the room. “Do you two know each other?”

Shit. There was no way out of this. “Kind of? We happened to meet earlier today before our shoot. And you don’t have to bow. You have nothing to apologize for.”

“I spoke to you so casually though and you’re my senior at work. How did I not know you were so famous?” He heard the nervousness in her voice and Rin felt the urge to put her at ease since he felt responsible for her panic.

He makes a decision he’s not sure he’ll regret later but he offers her his hand, her emerald eyes on the brink of eyes once she rose locking in with his sky blues. He offered her a gentle smile and she hid her face behind the sleeves of her haori. “I rather you speak to me like that. I’m not good with formalities. They’re too stuffy for me. So, please call me Rin. It’s nice to meet you, Shiemi.”

She slowly lowered her hands, face still blanketed in the blush but she smiled back so shyly and sweetly that Rin’s heart felt like it was going to burst. Her hand barely touched his in a timid handshake, her fingers shaking ever so slightly. 

He was glad for that because it masked the fact that his hands were shaking too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late update! I started a new job recently and it's taking up all my time. Thank you so much for the support. Follow me on twitter @rinokumuraP


	4. Sky Journey

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Yukio’s right. The roof is just up the stairs by the elevator. Do you want to go with me?”
> 
> “I would,” she replied, already heading toward the door.

The first thing Rin noticed as he shook Shiemi’s hand was how calloused they felt. It caught him by surprise. Her fingers were so dainty and she had such a reserved aura around her. Maybe she played an instrument like him, covered in bumps and scars from years of piano, guitar, and the street brawls. He did remember her mentioning she was born in a farming village. Hard work would cause the same thing.

The second thing he noticed is the four pairs of eyes laser focused on him as he slowly released her hand. He could feel beads of sweat forming on his forehead and masking the internal screaming with a grin. He had explained the full situation to Yukio but doing the same with the others would be a challenge, especially since Shima lived for drama. 

He honestly thought their paths would never cross again but she now stands in front of him, radiant as the setting sun they met under. He was still blushing slightly, the color on his cheeks giving material for even more prodding later. He wasn’t even sure what he should be doing with himself at that moment.

It was his younger brother that finally broke the silence, his smile faintly across his lips as he reached his hand over to shake hers as well. “We look forward to working with you, Moriyama-san. Feel free to come to us for anything. Especially Nii-san.”

He didn’t even have to tilt his head to know that Yukio was giving him some shit eating grin. Bastard was plotting against him from that suggestive tone. He was starting to regret saying anything to him.

Shiemi shook his hand for a moment before a questioning look appeared on her face. “Nii-san?”

“Rin is my older twin brother.” A small gasp echoed in the office in response before the blonde covered her mouth, embarrassed. Both the brothers chuckled at the reaction. “I can understand the shock. We’re fraternal twins so we look nothing alike.”

“I obviously got the better looks in exchange for Yukio having all the brain,” Rin jabbed back playfully. He didn’t actually think that. His brother had always been the more popular Okumura growing up. He’s lost count of the confessions he received in high school and even now in fan mail. It seemed to pay off as her lips curled upwards and she let out a giggle, a small break from the awkwardness in the air.

“We all know who the best looking one in this group,” Shima interjected as he took her hand the moment Yukio has released it, the shit eating grin plastered on his face when he’s plotting something. He had a tendency to hit on anything that moved when he and Bon were on breaks but Rin hoped he had more sense to not do that to their new colleague.

Shiemi just responded with a slight tilt of her head and shook his hand quickly before moving along to greet Bon, a look of surprise on Shima’s face at the silent rejection. There was an obvious smile on Bon’s face that Rin recognized as pleased. 

“Everyone’s so nice. I was so nervous when Pheles-san mentioned I was to meet all of you. You guys are so popular but I’m glad to be working with you.” Shiemi’s smile was bashful, her cheeks a rosy pink. Why is everything this girl does so cute? She has charm oozing from all her movements and expressions. The perfect image of a bubbly idol.

His thoughts were cut short when he felt two arms on each of his shoulders, glancing to see Bon’s hard muscled on one and Shima’s much thinner and pale one on the other. There was a pit forming in his stomach and he sensed nothing good from this.

“You mentioned that you met Rin before. Funny how he never told us that,” Bon inquired, the feeling of dread crashing over him again like waves of the ocean. He couldn’t tell if he was doing this to dig into more that Shima got the cold shoulder or just to mess with his band leader.

Her cheeks darken a shade and stuttered for a moment before shaking her head to gather herself. “It’s like Rin-san said. We met by chance at the studio earlier today when I was taking my promotional photos for my debut. I happened to know how pretty the sunset was and wanted to take a picture. Rin-san helped me when he noticed I was struggling with my phone.”

“Is that so? Our leader is such a nice guy.” Shima shifted the arm on his shoulder to give him a pat on the back. He didn’t have a good feeling about this. He just knew he was plotting something now. “I know he would help you with anything you had questions with. I’m sure he would be happy to give you his phone number.”

Rin felt his face burning as he gave Shima a glare, only getting a smirk in response. Was it that obvious to him that he might have a small crush on her? He was never going to hear the end of this. 

“I have to agree with Renzo. You should have all the contact information of everyone in the company in case something were to happen.” As much as Mephisto was a clown, he was also the boss. He had a feeling he was playing into Shima’s scheme but there was no arguing against it now.

He had to succumb to his fate. “You said you just got your phone, right? I can show you how to put in all of our numbers.” 

She scrambled for her phone from her pouch that matched the same pattern as her kimono, pulling it out with shaky hands. He could remember that feeling of nervousness and excitement getting the contact information of seniors in the business. Rin almost passed out when all of Undead wanted his number after a music festival during their first year performing as Exorcist. Rei was even someone he considered a friend nowadays.

Rin noticed right away as he assisted inputting all the numbers that her background on her phone was the default one when phones were first activated and she had no apps other than the standard ones. They were going to have to show her how to do everything on this. 

He was also trying not to get distracted by her side profile as he worked away on the numbers. He hated to admit it but Yukio was right about her being his type. He could see from his corner of his eye how much she smiled and the shape of her button nose. Were crushes supposed to feel like this? It was overwhelming that maybe he might try to write about it tonight to see if he got over it. 

After a few moments, Rin handed back the phone to her with a small smile. There was another brush of their fingers and he felt his face flushing again. He was starting to lose track of how many times he blushed today. “There, that should be everyone. Feel free to give us a call or text if you need anything.”

“Thank you again. I actually had another question for you if you had time.”

“Of course I have time,” he replied a little too quickly, causing his bandmates to snicker as they watching. He could only imagine how much they were enjoying seeing him flounder.

Another dazzling smile from the blonde and Rin was sure his heart was going to burst. That expression would get her so far in this industry. “I wanted to take a photo of the skyline at night like you said I should but I don’t have a good view from my dorm room. I was wondering where would be a good place to have the best view?”

“You should take her to the roof, Nii-san. You get a pretty good view of Tokyo from there. We’ll double check our schedules for the week and meet you up there when we finish.” Yukio was in on this plan too and now he regretted telling him about what happened earlier.

But maybe he and Shiemi would feel more at ease without everyone’s eyes on them and he could blame his blushing on the cold. “Yukio’s right. The roof is just up the stairs by the elevator. Do you want to go with me?”

“I would,” she replied, already heading toward the door. Rin glanced back at his bandmates, all of them giving him various winks and thumbs up to encourage him. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to hate them or thank them for their support. He could understand why they were doing this. Rin wasn’t really someone that dated, not even in high school. So him possibly having a hint of a crush was a big deal.

Rin quietly followed Shiemi up the stairs and swung open the door to the roof for her, a blast of evening cold air hitting his face. It honestly felt nice, cooling his cheeks from all the warmth they had produced all day. Shiemi was immediately holding onto the railing, her eyes sparkling like emeralds as he joined her at her side and leaned his arms against the railing.

The city of Tokyo came alive at night, the lights of the skyscrapers matching the twinkling of the star above them. Among all the buildings stood the Tokyo Tower, a beacon glowing bright orange in the center of it all. The crescent moon loomed above them and this was the perfect photo op, grabbing his phone from his jacket pocket to snap the picture.

Shiemi peeked over to examine how he was adjusting the view on his camera before she did the same, hearing it click a few times before they both stored their phones away. “Wow… That’s really Tokyo Tower. I’ve only ever seen it in pictures. It’s amazing.”

“If you want a view, that’s where you definitely have to go. This is nothing compared to what you can see there.” He was starting to feel more relaxed without all the eyes on them. He could tell she was a bit less anxious and stiff too. Yukio must have noticed it too so that’s why he had suggested this.

“I want to. There’s so much I want to see. It’s my first time living away from home. My village fundraised my bus ticket and other things to get to Tokyo so I want to make them proud of them and show them everything they helped me experience.” She sounded wistful, the almost smile that seemed present turned a little sad. She must be homesick. Moving away so far from home must not be easy.

“You will as you get more promotions and jobs. This business isn’t easy though. We’re lucky that even though Mephisto is a clown, he doesn’t exploit us like some companies will do. People want to get to the top.” He turned his head toward hers and their eyes locked on? “Why do you want to be an idol, Shiemi?”

“I want to feel like I’ve done something for myself. I felt like I’ve blended into the background all my life and too scared to branch out. One of the vendors my mom is friends with noticed me singing while tending to my plants and posted it online. I guess it got really big and lots of views. That’s how Pheles-san found me and offered me a deal. I saw it as my chance and everyone helped raised the money I needed.” There was a determination in her voice and a glint in her eyes that Rin couldn’t help feel his heart swell listening to her.

He shifted a bit closer to her, their elbows brushing against each other as he flashed her a small grin. “I have a feeling you’ll go far. We’ll be there to support you along the way.”

“Thank you, Rin-san. It means a lot to me. I’ll do my best and work hard.” She pumped her fist into the hand a little and Rin chuckled, a light flush of embarrassment on her face. Okay, that was adorable. “What about you? Why did you start Exorcist?”

His face turned a bit somber at the question. “Honestly, it was only an one time thing for a talent show against Shima’s brother. None of us expected to get anywhere. Hearing the crowd cheer for us sparked something in me though. I wanted to make people happy with my music. That’s why we accepted the deal.” Because his music making people happy when Rin felt like he wanted to die gave him a reason to keep going. She didn’t need to know that though.

“I want to hear your music for myself sometime.”

“I would be glad to play for you if you’re in the studio at the same time as us. Is there anything else you want to experience? You said you wanted to see all you could.”

She hummed for a moment in thought before nodding excitedly. “Spring is almost starting and I’ve always wanted to going cherry blossom viewing. I know Tokyo has so many.”

Right on cue, the door slams open and Yukio and his other bandmates emerged on the scene. “Did someone say flower viewing? We can totally make it work! It’s a great idea,” Shima proclaimed.

“I have to agree. I’m sure we can talk to Koneko about it. I’m sure he’ll schedule it in as long as we’re careful to disguise ourselves. We can invite Kamiki too,” Bon agreed. Ah, he was starting to understand. They checked the scheduled to make sure something like this could happen.

“Plus, you can try Nii-san’s cooking. It’s been so long since he’s made dango.”

He wanted to protest but then he noticed how excited Shiemi was. “Really? I can bring my homemade sandwiches. Can we really do that?”

He wanted a way to escape but between all their expectant stares, he couldn’t say no. “If Koneko can find a day that works, I wouldn’t mind going.”

A tiny squeal escaped from Shiemi as she bounced on her heels. “I can’t wait. I’ll be sure to work super hard until then. I should be getting back to my dorm though. I hope we can talk like this again, Rin-san.” She made her way to the door and bowed to the group before he watched her walk down the stairs.

Shima whistled at him and patted him on the shoulder. “You got it so bad for her, man.”

He didn’t know the half of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry with this late upload. So many things are going on with the world and it's been hard to write. I hope everyone is being safe and well. Thank you again fot all your support.


	5. Sakura Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> His face started to turn dark red all the way down his neck hearing those words and the butterflies in his stomach. “I’m happy you decided to come here too. I want to show you everything I can. I hope you want to come along too.”

Two weeks has passed since Rin had his whirlwind meeting with Shiemi and it was all he could think about whenever he let his mind wander. Her smile, her mannerisms, her positivity and her determination. The thought of her caused Rin to flush and want to scream out how cute she was.

He had been keeping himself busy in the meantime. Luckily, that hadn’t been too hard with their new single now released. The group was appearing on radio shows and live performances along with a magazine interview all for promotion for it. It was being well received by their fans and climbing to the top of the rock charts.

He also had his own variety show, Cooking with Rinrin. It was something he pushed hard for a year ago with Mephisto because of how much his fans loved his cooking on Instagram. It was a real passion for him. He definitely would have gone to culinary school if Exorcist hadn’t worked out. The show was a success, earning a prime spot on Saturday nights and seasoned vets in the industry or newbies wanted a spot as his guest cohosts.

Still, he couldn’t be working all the time. Once he was home with Kuro trying to wind down for the night, his mind would wander to Shiemi, reading over their text messages. They were nothing special, mostly her asking about directions around Tokyo or small talk about their jobs for that day. He was too nervous to take it any further. Nothing good would come from a nice girl like her to get close to him.

Her messages made his heart flutter though. Even through texts, she sounded so happy and it was sweet she always asked how he was feeling. Shima even taught her how to use emojis so now her messages ended with flowers and happy faces and it was so fucking cute that it made Rin scream into his cat’s fur.

To control all of these bubbling emotions, Rin spent his time at home juggling his island life on the newly released Animal Crossing and writing songs. Writing had been his therapy, usually voicing out every negative feeling on paper instead of slicing his arms. They had become Exorcist’s greatest hits but the songs that he produced from his crush were downright embarrassing.

The mess of lyrics on the pages of his journal formed various beats of what people would consider lovey bubblegum pop. It was the complete opposite of Exorcist’s grudge sound and showed how deep he was into his crush. A couple of notes played on his keyboard reflected that even more and Rin tore the lyrics out of his journal and into the folder all his rejected notes hid to be forgotten forever.

  
Now, it was a Friday night and Rin flopped down into his bed after a long day of practice in the studio for their next live show next week. He was already in his flannel pajamas pants with Kuro curled up on the pillow beside of him, purring softly as he reached over to grab his Switch. 

He would normally have it connected to his television but he was planning to hop mystery islands until he found a cat villager (hopefully Punchy) to continue his quest for an all cat island. He liked having the background noise of some anime or a movie since island exploring could get pretty mindless.

Best to check his texts now before he ignored it for the rest of the night. Rin leaned over to his nightstand and turned on his screen. There were two missed messages, one from their manager Konekomaru and the other from Shiemi. Better check Koneko’s first, it could be their next gig.

Konekomaru Miwa was their manager and Rin’s friend since high school. He had met him through Bon and Shima since the three of them grew up in Kyoto together. While he played no instrument, it was a vital member of Exorcist. He took the role of manager when they all decided to go all in on Exorcist. He used his wit to get them on the right shows and working with the proper people to make them successful.

_Koneko [9:29pm]_  
_Hi Rin, Shima mentioned you wanted to get the agency together for cherry blossom viewing and I checked everyone’s schedule. It seems everyone is free on Sunday and I wanted to check if that worked with you. If you want to, we’ve have agreed to meet at Ueno Park at noon. I’ll reserve the spot, no worries._

Ah, that’s right. He had been roped into going to see the cherry blossoms. He couldn’t deny Shiemi’s pleading puppy dog eyes and with the guys watching for his reaction. It would look bad if he didn’t go and he did want to see her again.

_Rin [10:50pm]_  
_yeah, i’ll be there with all the food. everyone else can bring the drinks. i’ll see you on sunday and have a good night._

Now to check Shiemi’s message. She usually didn’t text this late.

_Shiemi [10:30pm]_  
_I’m so nervous for my first interview airing tonight!!! >.<_

This had been a bit more casual than their other exchanges so far but she just need her nerves calmed, right?

_Rin [10:52pm]_  
_the one you recorded for the other day, right?_

_Shiemi [10:53pm]_  
_Yes! The new talent program! Pheles-san said I did alright but I’m not so sure…_

_Rin [10:54pm]_  
_i’m sure you did great. i’ll be sure to watch you! :3_

His hand was already changing the channel as there was a few minutes of no response. Maybe the cat face was too much for between colleagues. But as he got himself comfortable in bed again, his phone vibrated and Rin clicked on his screen so fast that Kuro sat up on his pillow.

_Shiemi [10:57pm]_  
_O//O That makes me more nervous but I hope I did you and everyone else at the agency proud!_

RIn clutched his phone to his chest at the response. Why was she so precious? When would the fluttering in his stomach dissipate? His crush was getting stronger, not weaker.

He decided to set his Switch on sleep mode so he could give his full attention to the television. Punchy could wait until tomorrow night. His hand absentmindedly petted Kuro’s head, feeling him nuzzle back and lick his palm with pleased meows.

He was familiar with the program Shiemi was on. It was a music show recorded in front of a live audience intended to showcase up and comers in the industry. It would consist of a large interview portion and then ending with performing their debut hit. Exorcist had been on the show their first year after being signed and he could understand why Shiemi was nervous. It must be her first public appearance as an idol.

He was immediately struck as the show started at how beautiful she looked. Her hair was loosely tied back into a bun, clipped with a decorative lily pin. The yukata she was wearing was a striking black, patterned with red and white lilies and held together with an ivory obi. He could feel his face flushing at the sight of her.

Her natural charm radiated off his television and he could tell the audience was feeling it too. The interview itself wasn’t without its hiccups. There was some stuttering whenever she answered questions but she never stopped smiling, making the audience laugh away at her shyness. She was a joy to watch.

Kuro must have noticed his reactions by the time the commercial break hit, now pawing at his leg. He just sighed quietly and scooped him up into his lap. “Yeah yeah, I get it. I got a crush.”

Kuro meowed back at him and settled down to get himself comfortable as the show began to start again, Shiemi now on the stage in the outfit she was wearing when they first met at the photoshoot. She already looked a bit more comfortable on stage and Rin was waiting with baited breath to see her perform.

Her debut song was called Chu Chu, a cute muted pop song about a girl wanting and describing her first kiss. The lyrics were sweet and her movements were simple and flowy. He knew she had been practicing this for the last week and it was evident. Rin was all smiles by the time she was finished. 

_Rin [11:31pm]_  
_hey, you did great._

_Shiemi [11:32pm]_  
_You really thought so? I was so embarrassed watching myself! O~O_

_Rin [11:33pm]_  
_i mean it. sure, you did stutter a lot but you always kept smiling. the audience obviously loved you. interviews get easier the more you do them so don’t let that get to you. your song is very catchy too. you should be proud. :3_

_Shiemi [11:35pm]_  
_That means so much to me, Rin-san. Thank you for watching me!_

_Shiemi [11:36pm]_  
_Are you going to the cherry blossom viewing on Sunday? I’m so excited to go. (Sakura emoji)_

_Rin [11:37pm]_  
_yeah. someone has to bring the food. how are u getting there?_

_Shiemi [11:38pm]_  
_I was just going to take the train. I’m still trying to learn how public transit works._

_Rin [11:39pm]_  
_it’s going to be super busy. I could just drive u._

He hadn’t realized what he had said until after he hit send, facepalming himself and groaning. Kuro started to knead his stomach, probably sensing his distress.

_Shiemi [11:42pm]_  
_Really? I would like that. Thank you, Rin-san. What time will you be at the dorms?_

Wait. Did she actually said yes? Holy shit.

_Rin [11:44pm]_  
_probably about 11:30?_

_Shiemi [11:45]_  
_I’ll be ready by then. I can’t wait to try your cooking. Have a good night. (Pink heart emoji)_

_Rin [11:46pm]_  
_night!_

His face was burning bright red by the time he typed his last message, crawling under his sheets and hugging his pillow tight. He was thankful only his cat could see him right now.

* * *

  
Rin was up bright and early that Sunday morning after managing to catch a few hours of sleep. He was actually nervous with excitement at the viewing party. The band had snickered at his story after recording for Cooking with Rinrin once he had to rely their conversation but they were all happy that he made a move. Could it even be called a move? He was just being nice.

There was a lot of meal prep to be done and he hoped it would calm his nerves. He loved to spoil people with his cooking and admittedly, a part of him did want to impress Shiemi. Everything from the classic hanami dango to crispy kaarage and tempura to sakura mochi, he was pulling out all the stops. He even made sushi rolls between Kuro attempting to steal the slices of tuna.

Once everything was packed away in the bento containers, he rushed himself into the bathroom fot a quick shower. Was it desperate that he also made Bon redo his hair after recording to make sure his roots weren’t showing? He wasn’t sure.

Next was the choice of clothing once he was done his shower and dried himself off. This was a casual gathering so there was no need to dress up. Still, he found himself throwing outfit after outfit on his bed because he was finding a minor thing wrong with his selections.

After about five different outfit changes, he finally settled on a black hoodie overlaid with a jean jacket with blue and plaid for the sleeves and around the bottom edges. His legs were covered by black skinny jeans ripped at the knees and his navy blue boots. The final touch was a pair of aviator sunglasses to avoid being recognized in public.

He gave himself a thumbs up in his mirror and Kuro meowed in approval before scratching him behind his ears and opening up his cat carrier. His ears instantly drooped and whined in protest.

“You gotta go in. We’re not going to the vet, I promise.”

There was another whine before he succumbed to his fate, making himself comfortable in the carrier. Rin kissed his nose and closed the door, rewarding him with a few chin rubs. 

He gathered the bento boxes in his arms and placed those in the backseat of his car first before returning for the carrier to nestle it beside of the containers. He usually put the carrier in the front seat but that seat was reserved for Shiemi today.

The drive itself wasn’t that bad. The agency dorms were right beside the agency itself so he knew exactly where he was going. Traffic wasn’t even that terrible going into Akibahara so he arrived at the dorm right at 11:30. 

He checked his phone briefly to sent a quick text to let her know he had arrived before taking a few deep breaths. He could do this. It’s just a car ride. It’s not a big deal. 

Rin strode into the lobby area and took his seat on a bench while he waited. It had been a long time since he had been here. Bon and Shima had lived here until they finally got their apartment together. There were a lot of late night jam sessions working on albums and having to listen to the other on why they don’t see their feelings. He wouldn’t change it for the world though.

“Rin-san! Sorry to keep you waiting!” he heard Shiemi call as he lifted up his head, the sight of her leaving him speechless.

He didn’t understand how one girl could be so cute. She was wearing a mint sundress covered with a light pink cardigan with white lace on the collar and end of the sleeves, the bottom corners adorned with a rabbit with a bowtie. Her tights matched the color of the lace and brown loafers on her feet, that she was shyly looking down at. She was also wearing glasses, most likely fake to disguise herself.

“Does it look bad? Kamiki-san took me shopping my last day off. I’ve only wore traditional clothing back home…”

He shook his head to break his own trance and stood up, flashing her a reassuring smile. “No! You look great! I mean that.”

She glanced up at him at the response and gave him a small grin, her cheeks flushed to the color of her cardigan. “I’m happy you like it. Are you ready to go?”

“Yeah. My car is just out front.” He opened the lobby door for her and led her over to his car, noticing her face with a puzzled expression as he was about to enter his vehicle. “What’s up?”

“I guess I expected something really flashy…” She must have caught herself and gasped, covering her mouth. “I’m sorry! I don’t mean it in a bad way!”

He couldn’t help but to laugh. “No no, you’re good. I’m not really a flashy guy. My dad left this car for me. I’m not getting rid of it until it can’t run anymore.”

She sighed in relief as they both got into their respective seats, buckling in as she checked the backseat. “A pet carrier?”

“I’m taking my cat with us. I couldn’t bear to leave him at home.”

Rin started up his car and made the turn to make the drive down to the park as Shiemi turned back around. “How old is he?”

“Kuro is turning seven this year. I’ve had him since he was a kitten. You’re more than welcome to come to his birthday party this summer.”

He could tell she had another confused look at her face from the corner of his eye. “You have a birthday party for your cat?” 

“Heck yeah, I do. He’s practically my kid. Me and him have been through a lot together. Why wouldn’t I want to celebrate him?”

She giggled softly at that. “He must be spoiled. Do you dress him up too?”

“You don’t know the half of it. It’s not just me either. Our manager loves buying him cat toys. He’s more popular with the agency staff than I am. He’s not big on costumes though.”

“More popular than you?”

“Pets usually get more attention than the owners.” He couldn’t count how many times Koneko made house calls to confirm his schedule just to play with Kuro. His cat was also the star of his Instagram page so he was a bit of a celebrity himself.

There was a comfortable silence between them as he finished the drive to Ueno Park. He spent way too much time locating a parking spot. Of course it was going to be packed on the weekend when the trees were in full bloom.

After about ten minutes of looping around, he finally noticed someone leaving their spot and turned into it the moment he had enough space to. “I thought we would be searching forever for a place to park. I’ll grab the carriers. Do you mind grabbing the containers?”

“Of course not.” They both exited the vehicle and Rin open the back doors, pulling the cat carriet out waited for Shiemi to grab the bento to close all the doors and lock up the car. Now it was time to look for everyone.

The crowds were rampant today. Hoards of people huddled together to walk along the paths or on blankets underneath the hundreds of cherry blossom trees. How was he supposed to find them among all these people?

After what seemed like forever with no avail, he suggested crossing the bridge to the other side of Shinobazu Pond. It was there that Shiemi paused, gazing out to the water. “Shiemi?”

There was the faintest hint of a smile across her face as he glided against the crowd to join her at her side. “It’s beautiful. I don’t even have words for it. I keep seeing all these amazing things with you. I’m really happy you decided to come. I wouldn’t want to see this with anyone else.”

His face started to turn dark red all the way down his neck hearing those words and the butterflies in his stomach. “I’m happy you decided to come here too. I want to show you everything I can. I hope you want to come along too.”

Oh god, that was so cheesy. He was giving himself second hand embarrassment once he realized that was something he said out loud.

He felt something on his free hand and glanced down, her hand holding his loosely. “I’m looking forward to it, Rin-san.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song inspired for Shiemi's performace is Chu Chu by Moumoon. A lot of their music reminds me of Shiemi. Definitely give them a listen.
> 
> Thank you for reading this update! Come follow me on Twitter @rinokumuraP

**Author's Note:**

> That feel when you reread and rewatch both the Given manga and anime and gets slapped with inspiration. Thank you for reading and all your support with all my works so far.
> 
> I have a Twitter: @godsreverie


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